The US Geological Survey estimates there are 250,000 rivers across the United States.  These rivers travel more than 3.5 million miles through the continental USA, Alaska and Hawaii. More than 80% of Americans live within a mile of these rivers, which are used for irrigation, transportation, drinking water, electrical power, recreation and other purposes.  Many of them showcase the diverse natural beauty of the United States and are rich components of the nation’s cultural heritage.

The longest of these rivers is the Missouri River, known as “The Big Muddy” for the enormous amount of silt, sand, and clay sediment it transports along its 2,540 miles before merging with the second longest river, the mighty Mississippi River, known as the “Father of Waters”, which flows north to south for 2,340 miles before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico.  The confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers shows the striking difference of the opaque brown waters of the Missouri merging into the “cleaner” Mississippi.

Several rivers can stake a claim as having the most natural beauty.  The Colorado River’s epic 1,450 mile trip through sandstone caverns and desert rock formations offers breathtaking views throughout its long journey, with perhaps none as awesome as the famous Horseshoe Bend in Arizona.  Alaska’s dramatic mountain ranges and thick evergreen forests are on display along the Yukon River’s travels (the Yukon is the third-longest river at 1,980 miles).  The scenic Yellowstone River matches its namesake national park in beauty and ecological importance.

America’s rivers facilitate important transportation and shipping industries that link the nation together.  These rivers often serve many purposes.  The Ohio River, in addition to being an important transportation river, is the primary source of drinking water for more than 5 million people. The environmentally critical Columbia River is known as the “Powerhouse River” because it is the largest producer of hydroelectric power in North America.

American history is closely linked with its rivers.  Early explorers traveled northward from New York Harbor up the Hudson River as they learned more about the new world they were discovering.  The Potomac River served as a primary dividing line between the Union and the Confederacy during the United States Civil War.  The Rio Grande and St. Lawrence rivers provide scenic natural borders between the USA and its neighbors to the south (Mexico) and north (Canada). America’s famous explorers Lewis and Clark traversed the Snake River during their historic expeditions across the northwest.

The UIG collection features many thousands of images covering rivers in the United States and worldwide.  Our contributors focus on the ecological and industrial impacts of rivers as well as their natural beauty.

All images featured in this post and on Kaleidoscope are available for licensing.  Please contact us at info@universalimagesgroup.com

Sources:

National Wild and Scenic Rivers System https://rivers.gov/rivers/

Enchanted Learning, US Rivers https://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/rivers/

United States Geological Survey https://www.usgs.gov/